PNP official: 2016 elections more peaceful than past polls

(File photo) Voters flock to polling precincts in Laoag City.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) expects this year's elections to be more peaceful compared to the past two polls held in 2010 and 2013.

In an interview with CNN Philippines on Monday (May 9), PNP Director for Operations Jonathan Miano estimated that about 140,000 police personnel were deployed around the country on election day (May 9). Two police personnel have been assigned to each of the country's roughly 36,000 polling precincts.

"For every police station, we deployed quick reactions teams… We also have augmentation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines."

Miano listed some "priority areas" where authorities have been put on alert:

Nevertheless, he said that the PNP expects the election to be more peaceful compared to those held in 2010 and 2013.

"As of late, we have only 29 validated election related incidents compared to 109 in 2013 and 166 in 2010," he said. "In 2010, we had a lot of shooting incidents, killings of candidates; we also have few snatching of ballots. But in 2013, [those] were reduced drastically."

"During this year's election campaign, we have lessened [incidents]… more or less 50% of the incidents in 2013," he added.

"We trained the commanders to conduct their own contingency planning… We identify the threats at the early stage of the election period, and we implemented measures to address these threats depending on the area. The commanders [are given] the prerogative to implement [their] own security measures."